Poll shows Gov. LePage in strong position to win re-election

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- An independent poll shows Governor LePage is in a strong position to win re-election, and a large number of Mainers support gun control measures being talked about in Congress.

Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group polled 403 Mainers between March 11 and March 16. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9% at the 95% confidence level.

It shows that in a 3-way race between Governor LePage, Independent Eliot Cutler, and a strong Democrat, Governor LePage would win. The Omnibus poll showed, for instance, that LePage would garner 34 percent of the vote, Cutler had 26 percent and Congressman Mike Michaud had 23 percent. If former Governor John Baldacci were to run against LePage and Cutler, he would have about 21 percent of the vote.

The poll also found that a majority of Mainers did not like the governor's style, but that 62 percent of them agreed with his policies. Pollster Patrick Murphy said those numbers tell him the governor is in a strong position to win re-election. Murphy said, "Obviously the stylistic thing is important to quite a lot of people, but my view on this is poll is, right now, he's sitting in the catbird seat."

Both Republicans and Democrats are taking issue with the poll. Governor LePage's Senior Political Advisor Brent Littlefield called Pan Atlantic SMS a "Democrat-alligned polling firm" because Murphy is married to former Democratic Party Chair Victoria Murphy. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, said its internal poll shows that in a 3-way race, Governor LePage would get 36 percent of the vote, Congressman Michaud would get 33 percent and Cutler would get 20 percent. The party says the distance between Michaud and LePage is within the margin of error.

The Pan Atlantic SMS Omnibus Poll also found widespread support for a number of gun control measures in Maine. Nearly 90 percent of respondents supported background checks, even when the sales are private or at gun shows. 64 percent supported banning ammunition clips that hold more than 10 bullets. And 57 percent want an assault weapons ban.

But the public seemed split on whether concealed weapons permits should be public information. About 49 percent of people said they should. 46 percent said they shouldn't. Those numbers are within the margin of error.